Wheel kim



May 26, 1925.

F. PQ JOHNSON WHEEL RIM Filed March 28, 1924 INVENTOR Ik@ Hfdblznsom FRANK P. JOHNSON, 0F DANVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

"WHEEL RIM.

Application filed March 28, 1924. Serial No. 702,640.

Y 10 all whom t may concern.' f

Be it known that I, FRANK P. JOHNSON, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Dain ville, in the county ot Montour and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Wheel Bim, of which the following is a speciticationf This invention relates to a wheel rim et the type which is adapted to support a pneumatic tire casing, and its general object is to provide a construction whereby the process of removing the casing troni the rim or reilacing it thereon isv greatly `facilitated. With my iiuproved construction, it is preterable, though notI essential, that the rim be detachable 'from the telly. lily invention is o'f especial value when used in connection with balloon tires, the shape ot which uraltes it particularly ditticult to get them onto or ott' trom the rims now comi'nonlynsed.

The rim comprising the present invention is preferably used in connection with a split retaining ring, which is similar in construction to that disclosed in U. S. Patent No 1,262,594, issued to me .-tpril 9, 1918.

rlhe specific construction ot my invention and the advantages thereofwill be more particularly described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a section of a wheel rim embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a detail view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing the means tor securing the retaining ring.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view through the rim showing the locking device in elevati on. V

Figure -et is a longitudinal section ot a itragment ot the rim loo-king outwardly.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of a rim o't n'iodilied construction.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view 't the rctaining ring used in the construction shown in Figure 5.

rThe invention, as illustrated in Figure 1, is adapted to he used in connection with a pneumatic tire casing 10, having beads 11 with straight sides 12, and reinforced, as shown at 13, so as to render the same nonstretchahle. The main or body portion 14k ot the rim is formed with a smooth substantially cylindrical outer surface adapted to receive the iap 15, and is formed at one side with an integral ledge 16, on which one of the beads 11 is adapted to rest. Adjacent the ledge 16 is an integralretaining :"iange 17 adapted to be engaged by the straight edge 12 o' the bead, and to retain the same on the ledge 16. The opposite side o't the body portion 14 is formed with a rib 18 to be engaged in the usual manner by lugs, which fasten the rim to the telly. :t the outer edge, the rim is formed with an annular channel 19, the outer tiange ot which terminates in the edge 2t), having a dian'icter equal to or slightly less than the diameter ot the ledge 16. The channel 19 is adapted to removably receive a retaining ringl 21, which is similar in shape to the flange 17. rhis retaining ring is split at 22, so that it may be removed from the channel 19, preparatory to removing the tire from the rim. The adjacent ends ot' the ring 2l are torn-"led with opposed recesses 23, underneath which are Aopposed lugs 24; adapted to be engaged bv the flattened head 25 otY a locking` holt 26 to positively retain the locking ring in position. The outer end o1" the bolt; 26 is provided with a polygonal hcad 2T, by means of which it may be turned to the position shown in Figures 2 and 3 to lock the ring, or may he turned transversely, so that the ring may be released and lifted out oiDA the channel 19 and removed from the rim. This is the construction shown in my aforesaid Patent No. 1,262,504.

On the side of the body portion 1t, opposite to the ledge 16, rests a removable ledge section 28, the upper or outer surface ot which, as shown in Figures 1 and Si, in alinement with the correspondinjr surface ot' the ledge 16. This removable ledge serH tion 28 is preferably split, as at 29, to fl'acilitate its removal 'troni the body portion i-lot the rim, and the body portion of the rim, adjacent the inner side of the channel 19, is preferably formed with a rounded shoulder 30 to form a small space for receiving a tiange 31 formed on the edge of the ledge section 28, to prevent the latter from being pushed inwardly too far, and thus interlock the ledge section therewith. The ledge section 28 may also be formed with an outwardly projecting flange 32 for engaging the outer corner of the tiro bea-d 1l. The inner sides of the ledge 16 and ledge sectie 28, ifespcctively, are formed with sloping shoulders, as indicated at 33, which merge into the surface of the body port-ion 1e', and the ledges being` comparatively narrow, it is a simple matter to remove or replace the tire.

In. the moditication shown in Figures :7

' the opposite bead of.' the tire from the ledge with notches 37 for engagen'ient by a. suit-A able locking bolt, such as is shown in FigfV ures 2 and 3. T hering 3G is also preferably provided on its inner edge with notches 38 for engagement by suitable projections on the rim for better securing' it in position.

The invention in all of its forms includes a rim, having at one side a removable flange, which, when removed, permits the tire casing to be slipped off of the rim. The rim itself need not be split, and it is not even necessary to remove it from the felly. The

ledge adjacent the removable flange may be separately removable, as in Figure l, or removable as an integral part oit the flange, as in Figure 5. With rims as heretofore constructed, however, having a fiat surface extending substantially from side to side of' the rim, it is very dillicult to remove the tire casing, especially of balloon tires which are yof considerable width, since the beads are nonstretchable, and it the tire at one point is moved a little farther than it is at another point, it becomes wedged onthe rim. Even more difficulty is experienced in coi'lnerftion with split rims, which do not have a removable flange. All of these difiiculties are eliminated by the use of the present invention, since it is a very simple matter to remove the ledge section 28' or 35, and to slip lo to the main portion 14; of the rim, over 'which it may movewith perfect freedom.

From the foregoing deserijiition, it will be noted that the prineijiiles ol the invention may be. embodied in various different formswithout any imiterial departure from the salient Vfeatures thereof. intention to include alll such modifications within the scope oi" the claims hereunto app'ended.

What is claimed is:

1. A wheel rim havingr a` body portion: with an integral flange at one side, andl an integral yledge inside the flange', the inner side of said ledge being in the form of an. inwardly sloping shoulder, the remainder of the body portion extending from said shoulder and being ot' substantially uniform diameter and having an annular channel near its opposite side, a split retaining ring removably locked in said channel, anda removable ledge section inside said retaining llt is, thereforeymy ring and retained thereby, said ledge section havingh an interlocking engagement with the rim to prevent said section from being pushed inwardly too far.

2. A wheel rim having a body portion with an integral flange at one side, and an integral ledge inside the flange, the` inner side of said ledge being in the form of an inwardly sloping shoulder, the remainder of the body portion extending from said shoulder and being of substantially uniform diameter and having an annular channel near its opposite side, a split retaining ring removably locked in said channel, and a removable ledge section inside said retaining ring and retained thereby, said Aledge section having an outwardly projecting flange for engaging the outer corner of the bead of a tire. Y

3. A, wheel rim having a body portion with an integral flange at one side and an integral ledge inside the flange, the remainder of the body portion having a cylindrical surface of substantially uniform diameter less than the diameter of the ledge and having an annular channel near its opposite side, a split retaii'iing ring removably located in said channel` andf a removable ledge section inside said retaining ring and retained thereby, saidV removable ledge seetion having an inward projection at its outer edge engageable between the retaining ring and the inner wall of the channel to fix the position of said ledge section.v

4. A wheel rim having a body portion with an integral flange at one side and an integral ledge inside the flange terminating at its inner side with an inwardly sloping shoulder, the remainder of the body portion having a cylmdricalsuriface of substantially uniform diameter Vthan the diameter oi the ledge and merging into said sloping shoulder, said body portion having near itsV opposite side an annular channeha split retaining ring having a flat inner face removably loeked in said channel, and a removable ledge section inside said retaining ring and retained thereby, said ledge section being similar in shape to the integral leilge and opposed thereto` the inner wall ot said channel forming a rounded annular shoulder, and said removable ledge section hav# ing a correspondingly shaped flange projecfing inwardly from itsouter edge and filling the space between saidv rounded shoulder and the yflat inner face of the retaining ring to tix the position of said removable ledge section.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signa-V ture.

FRANK P. JOHNSON. 

